News Round-Up

Wish it was easier to stay current with all the news in the brain tumor community? Welcome to the first edition of our weekly collection of news, links, and articles curated especially for patients and caregivers. Have an article you’d like us to include? Please let us know here.

FDA labels Duke researchers’ device to help extract brain tumors a ‘breakthrough’

Duke Chronicle, Feb 18, 2019

Researchers at the Bellamkonda Lab at Duke University have created a device that “tricks” brain tumors into moving to areas of the brain that are more accessible to surgeons. Known as a “Tumor Monorail,” the device has been fast-tracked by the FDA and the team expects the device to be approved for human trials by the end of 2019.

RTsafe’s PseudoPatient Makes Brain Radiotherapy Much Safer

Forbes, Feb 20, 2019

Doctors could soon use an exact 3D replica of their patient’s head to increase accuracy in radiotherapy treatments. A company based in Athens, Greece and San Antonio, Texas uses a CT scan to create a Personalized “PseudoPatient” that replicates the patient’s bone structure and external surface. Radiation treatments can then be tested and measured on the PseudoPatient before being performed on real patients.

Opinion: Healthcare should be a right, not a GoFundMe page

Valley Roadrunner, Feb 21, 2019

Healthcare expenses contribute to over 60% of US Bankruptcy filings and even private insurance is far from a reliable solution. Charles Caratti discusses the problems facing patients in American today, and some potential solutions.

Immunotherapy could extend survival for patients with aggressive glioblastoma brain cancer

Genetic Literacy Project, February 19, 2019

Patients with a recurrence of glioblastoma who were given a drug known as a checkpoint inhibitor before surgery lived nearly twice as long as patients in a control group. According to researchers at UCLA, this study marks the first time that immunotherapy has been proven to be beneficial to glioblastoma patients.

Terminally ill man completes bucket list by visiting 18 countries

News24, February 17, 2019

A British man diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2013 has completed his bucket list by visiting 18 countries and marrying his girlfriend of 25 years. Richard Preston is one of the 20% of patients to survive longer than 5 years, and now preparing festivities for his 50th birthday.

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